April 2011 Current Events: U.S. News

Here are the key events in United States news for the month of April 2011.

Possible Shutdown of Federal Government Goes Down-to-the-Wire (April 1): The partisan debate over spending cuts pushes the federal budget agreement to its deadline. Republicans demand a provision to restrict financing to Planned Parenthood and other groups that provide abortions. Obama and the Democrats refuse to budge on the abortion provision, but they do agree to tens of billions in spending cuts. With less than two hours to spare, an agreement on the federal budget is made, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown.

U.S. Finds More Threats at Japan's Nuclear Plant (April 6): U.S. government engineers helping with the crisis in Japan warn that the troubled Daiichi nuclear power plant is still facing many threats. Of major concern is the stress placed on the radioactive water containment structures and the possibility of further explosions due to the release of hydrogen and oxygen from the water. Despite assurances by health officials that radiation from the stricken plant is unlikely to show up in food supplies worry among consumers and businesses in the U.S. continues to grow. Leading chefs, such as New York City's Eric Ripert whose restaurant Le Bernardin is known for its seafood, are now scanning fish with a radiation detector as a precaution.

Players and the NFL Return to Mediation (April 11): After hearing arguments in the players' request for an injunction to stop the NFL lockout, Judge Susan Richard Nelson of U. S. District Court imposes forced mediation. Nelson appoints Arthur J. Boylan, the chief federal magistrate judge in Minneapolis as the mediator. This is a loss for the league because now a potential deal can be overseen by the court, something owners wanted to avoid. (April 25): Players win an injunction to stop the lockout, but are not allowed to work out at team facilities until Friday. (April 29): The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit temporarily delays the injunction to stop the lockout, preventing players from returning to their team facilities for meetings and workouts.

President Obama Releases Birth Certificate (April 27): In an effort to end an escalating controversy, President Obama releases his long-form birth certificate. The birth certificate from 1961 proves that he was born at Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu.